A/N: Marti's perspective again? Wow, I spoil you guys…

Disclaimer: I don't own any character that has, one time or another, appeared on the LWD show.

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Blast From the Past

Chapter 25—Who Says Spying Doesn't Teach You Anything?

By VirgoMaiden

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I was totally wrong. I, Marti Venturi, was wrong. About Derek and Casey. And their relationship. That movie night had been a little test drive to see if they could handle it. "It" being the proximity of the other, the intimacy of the situation. And they had handled it surprisingly well. So well that I noticed a few "moments" between them that I had not needed to initiate, like I had with Liz and Ed.

Speaking of the infamous couple, Derek and Casey finally got back with a half-hour until the guests were supposed to come. Casey, knowing that, ran upstairs, unconsciously joining Liz in order to get ready. Leaving us Venturis to ourselves, we shrugged and turned on the TV, switching between cartoons and basketball (Edwin had gotten a strange fixation on the American NCAA tournament when he visited New York last year).

When the bell did happen to ring, I saw Derek roll his eyes and watch Casey tear downstairs to open the door, Lizzie at her heels.

"Hey, Case!" I heard someone say.

"Come on in," she said easily, as if the entire half-hour before had never happened.

Four girls trooped in, and I was suddenly assaulted by all of them.

"Is this another Venturi?" one girl (brunette, Casey's height, and a know-all smile) asked.

"She must be," another (short, highlighted hair, a bit shorter than Lizzie, and a warm exterior) whispered conspiratorially.

"Oh! Sorry Marti," Casey said apologetically, walking forward. "This is Noelle, Sarah, Caty, and Jessica." She gestured to each as she said their names. The one who had asked if I was "another Venturi" was Caty and the other one who had confirmed it was Sarah. I nodded dumbly.

"So now that that's over with," Derek said loudly, obviously interrupting, "Where's Icky Vicky and Drake?"

"They're coming," Jessica said offhandedly. "They said that they would be here in a –''

The bell rang.

"Minute after us," she finished lamely.

"I got it," I called, trying to escape the fray. Yanking open the door, I became face-to-face with a teenage guy that looked scarily similar to Derek. Drake, I supposed. The same guy that Derek wasn't apparently too keen on meeting.

"Hi," he said, smiling. "Is this the McDonald residence?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "You Drake?"

Another smile. "Yeah. Vicky's right behind me."

"That I am," said girl said, poking her head from around Drake's shoulder. "Can we come in now? It's cold."

"Yeah…" I said slowly, moving aside so that they could brush in.

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"She said so!"

I was in the kitchen when I heard this outburst, about an hour-and-a-half into the party, and upon hearing the urgency in the tone, I quickly ducked down behind the island from where I had been refilling the salsa.

"She didn't say so outright – but she seriously hinted at it again," a second voice – Jessica, I think it was – said. "Remember? The first time was at – ''

"The theater," the first voice. There was a crunch (eating the chips, I supposed) and then a small "Oh my God." I heard her sink down into a bar stool. "I seriously can't believe it. But aren't they…?"

"Related? Hardly." A third voice. This one was, without a doubt, Noelle's. "They've only known each other for, what, three years? And you've heard from Casey how much they argue. They barely think of each other as human, let alone siblings."

My head perked up slightly. Were they talking about…?

"So if they started a relationship…"

"It would be totally legal."

"I still can't believe it," Caty said quietly. After another pause, she spoke again. "Do you think that he's figured it out?"

"I know that he's figured it out," Noelle said. "But do you honestly think that she'll believe him?"

There was a bark of laughter and the tense mood was instantly lightened. "Honestly? No."

"As long as there's an understanding between us," Jessica said. "Party?" she added wryly.

"Totally," Noelle and Caty said together, and they all left.

Still on the floor, I rubbed my hands in slow, evil glee. This could be the biggest "Go for it!" signs in the history of signs. Casey's friends had no problems with the relationship. And Casey herself had mentioned it. Twice, apparently. Derek was so unbelievably in.

I straightened up, brushing off the dirt that had gotten on my shirt and pants. Play the part of nonchalance… No need to tell the world that I had overheard the best conversation ever…

I began jumping up and down, clapping my hands and squealing; the giddiness was totally infectious.

I could be such a dork.

But a cute dork, I reminded myself, making my way out of the kitchen.

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A/N: Review. You know you want to :D

VM